Shadows Rising Book 1: Secrets
by Deltra 307
Summary: Shadepaw and Darkpaw are brothers, seperated at birth, and forced into enemy clans. But, when one of the two find out about a devestating secret, the lives of every cat could be at stake. The time of darkness is upon them...
1. Allegiances

**Dawnclan-**

**Leader:**

Dappledstar-dappled brown, black and white tabby she-cat with white muzzle, paws, chest and underbelly with frosty amber eyes

**Deputy:**

Brookstorm-blueish-black she-cat with stormy gray eyes

**Medicine Cat:**

Windshadow-pale grey tom with silver eyes

**Medicine Cat Apprentice:**

Mudpaw-brown tom

**Warriors:**

Warrior 1-Ashcloud-dark gray she-cat with green eyes

Warrior 2-Wolfclaw-dark gray tom with amber eyes

Warrior 3-Shadowstreak-jet black tom with green eyes

Warrior 4-Sunleap-bright golden and brown tom

Warrior 5-Silverwolf-silver tom with ruffled fur on chest and blue eyes

Warrior 6-Blackthorn-black tom white spots and gray eyes

Warrior 7-Dewfrost-jet black she cat with blue eyes

Warrior 8-Goldenfur-golden tabby she-cat with pale green eyes

Warrior 9-Lilycloud-pretty cream she-cat with darker stripes and green eyes

Warrior 10-Fawnshine-pale brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Warrior 11- Grasstail-pale brown tom with a darker tail and blue eyes

Warrior 12-Thunderfang-brown tabby tom with a white muzzle

Warrior 13-Starlight-silver tabby she-cat with green eyes

Warrior 14-Redwind-reddish tabby tom with green eyes

Warrior 15-Breakingthunder-dark gray tom with bright amber eyes

Warrior 16-Tigerstripe-orange colored tom with jet black stripes and amber eyes

Warrior 17-Smokeymoon-gray tom whose fur slowly becomes black and is jet black at the tail with one very pale grey foot; brown eyes

Warrior 18-Thunderstrike-black tom with zigzag shape down his side and silver eyes

Warrior 19-Iceheart-silvery white tabby she-cat with bright blue eyes

Warrior 20-Mirefoot-brown tom with green eyes

Warrior 21-Moonglade-black tabby she-cat with a white circle on her forehead and violet eyes

Warrior 22-Mistybreeze-silver tabby she-cat with white-tipped tail and blue eyes

Warrior 23-Larchsong-slender tabby she-cat with brown eyes

Warrior 24-Swiftfur-pretty silver she-cat with icy blue eyes and a star shaped mark on her forehead

**Apprentices:**

Apprentice 1-Mudpaw-brown tom; mentor is Windshadow

Apprentice 2-Flamepaw-dark ginger tabby tom with green eyes; mentor is Ashcloud

Apprentice 3-Shadepaw-black tom with white underbelly; mentor is Shadowstreak

Apprentice 4-Echopaw-small black and white she cat with dark blue eyes; mentor is Larchsong

Apprentice 5-Stormpaw-dark gray tom with blue eyes; mentor is Redwind

Apprentice 6-Whisperpaw-silver tabby she cat with white paws and blue eyes; mentor is Silverwolf

Apprentice 7-Rosepaw-reddish colored she-cat with bright green eyes; mentor is Thunderfang

Apprentice 8-Eaglepaw-gray tom with black and white flecks and amber eyes; mentor is Dewfrost

Apprentice 9-Stormpaw-dark gray, almost black tom with dark blue eyes; mentor is Fawnshine

Apprentice 10-Heatherpaw-white she-cat with blue-grey patches and blue eyes; mentor is Mirefoot

Apprentice 11-Lynxpaw-golden she-cat with black spots with a rings around them and amber eyes; mentor is Wolfclaw

Apprentice 12-Lilacpaw-silver tabby she-cat with violet eyes; mentor is Moonglade

**Queens:**

Queen 1-Frostleaf-pretty white she-cat with pale gray, deep green eyes and golden and light blue flecks; mother of Wolfclaws kits, Willowkit and Smokekit

Queen 2-Flutterwing-beautiful dark golden she-cat with deep green eyes; mother of Silverwolf's kits, Moonkit, Lightkit, and Wishkit

Queen 3-Poppyfern-bright ginger she-cat with a white chest, paws and tail, and dark green eyes; mother of Grasstail's kits, Ravenkit and Cherrykit

Queen 4-Crystalnose-dark tortoiseshell she-cat with turquoise eyes; expecting Smokeymoon's kits

**Kits:**

Kit 1-Willowkit-gray she-cat silver and white stripes, dark blue eyes, and golden flecks

Kit 2-Smokekit-dark gray tom with three black stripes on his shoulders that look like claw marks

Kit 3-Moonkit-silver tom with green eyes

Kit 4-Lightkit-golden she-cat with green eyes

Kit 5-Wishkit-silver tom with dark golden underbelly and blue eyes

Kit 6-Ravenkit-black she-cat with paler paws and blue eyes

Kit 7-Cherrykit-bright ginger and white dappled she-cat with pale brown paws and green eyes

**Elders:**

Elder 1-Robinshade-dark brown tabby tom with white underbelly

Elder 2-Bluetail- blueish-black she-cat with white spotted fur and dark eyes

Elder 3-Brackenfoot-ginger tom with brown tabby paws and amber eyes

**Moonclan-**

**Leader:**

Swiftstar-black she-cat with white tabby stripes and purple eyes

**Deputy:**

Wildpelt-tortoiseshell she-cat with a deep nick in her right ear and dark blue eyes

**Medicine Cat:**

Swiftsong-golden tabby tom with green eyes

**Medicine Cat Apprentice:**

Lilypaw-pale ginger tabby she cat with dark blue eyes

**Warriors:**

Warrior 1-Thundercloud-bright gold tom with orange eyes and dark gray splotches

Warrior 2-Scarshadow-smokey black tabby tom with scar on shoulder and amber eyes

Warrior 3-Auburnfur-pale brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Warrior 4-Crimsonpelt-crimson colored tom with light amber eyes

Warrior 5-Mistypath-gray she-cat with bright blue eyes

Warrior 6-Shiningfur-pale gray she-cat with blue eyes

Warrior 7-Gorsepelt-pale brown tom with green eyes

Warrior 8-Owlsong-darkbrown she-cat with blue-green eyes

Warrior 9-Tigerleap-ginger tom with black streaks and hazel eyes

Warrior 10-Squirrelpelt-bright ginger she-cat with green eyes

Warrior 11-Torrenheart-golden tabby tom with green eyes

Warrior 12-Burningsky-brownish ginger tom with amber eyes

Warrior 13-Bramblestripe-Dark brown tabby tom with light amber eyes

Warrior 14-Shimmerheart-Silver she-cat with a scar that looks like the moon;looks like she has sparkles in her fur

Warrior 15-Goldensong-golden tabby she-cat with green eyes

Warrior 16-Flareheart-ginger she cat with dark blue eyes

Warrior 17-Blackstripe-very dark gray tabby tom with green eyes

Warrior 18-Tumblefoot-gray tabby tom with green eyes Warror

Warrior 19-Jayflight-gray tabby tom with white paws and blue eyes

Warrior 20-Liongaze-orange colored tom with green eyes

**Apprentices:**

Apprentice 1-Sunpaw-golden-yellow tabby tom with amber eyes; mentor is Gorsepelt

Apprentice 2-Flashpaw-fluffy, creamy white she-cat with gold eyes and black paws,chest, and tail tip; mentor is Windpelt

Apprentice 3-Darkpaw-black tom with amber eyes; mentor is Scarshadow

Apprentice 4-Nightpaw-black she-cat with dark blue eyes; mentor is Thundercloud

Apprentice 5-Amberpaw-amber she-cat with amber eyes; mentor is Auburnfur

Apprentice 6-Cloudpaw-white tom with blue eyes; mentor is Owlsong

Apprentice 7-Boulderpaw-dark gray tom with pale gray eyes; mentor is Bramblestripe

Apprentice 8-Moonpaw-Beautiful silver she-cat with aqua eyes and a shimmering pelt; mentor is Squirrelpelt

Apprentice 9-Sagepaw-Black she-cat with stunning green eyes; mentor is Shiningfur

Apprentice 10-Duskpaw-Black tom with a nick in his ear; mentor is Jayflight

**Queens:**

Queen 1-Cricketsong-cream colored she-cat with lime green eyes;mother of Torrenheart's kits, Spiderkit and Echokit

Queen 2-Littlefoot-long haired white she-cat; mother of Gorsepelt's kit, Kestralkit

Queen 3-Echokit-blue-gray she-cat with blue-green eyes; mother of Burningsky's kits, Mosskit and Ripplekit

Queen 4-Kiosplash-orange and pale gray she-cat with light tabby stripes on her underbelly, legs, and has eyes blue eyes; mother of Blazeheart's kits,

**Kits:**

Kit 1-Kestralkit-pale brown she-cat with a white underbelly

Kit 2-Spiderkit-black tom with white markings and pale gray eyes (blind)

Kit 3-Ripplekit-gray tabby tom with blue eyes

Kit 4-Mosskit-gray and white tabby she-cat with

Kit 5-Frostkit-pure white tabby tom with dark green eyes with slightly soft grey ear tips

Kit 6-Rushkit-light brown cream-and-tabby-shekit with ginger splotches mixed in with the brown,warm amber colored eyes

Kit 7-Riverkit-soft grey and silver tom with yellow eyes

Kit 8-Otterkit-pale brown she-kit with white paws and underbelly; pelt is a pale brown mixed with a cream color and has golden eyes

**Elders:**

Elder 1-Tigerfoot-dark ginger tom with splotches of black and grey

Elder 2-Snowfoot-black she-cat with white paws & amber eyes

**Duskclan:**

**Leader:**

Foreststar-brown tom with bright green eyes

**Deputy:**

Shadowpelt-smokey gray tom with black flecks and blue eyes

**Medicine Cat:**

Eclipsesong-black she-cat with blueish violet eyes

**Medicine Cat Apprentice:**

Nightfeather-black tom with very dark blue eyes

**Warriors:**

Warrior 1-Whispersong-light gray tabby she-cat with blue-gray eyes

WArrior 2-Nightblaze-black and ginger tom with green eyes

Warrior 3-Eagleflight-brown tabby tom with bright green eyes

Warrior 4-Coalshatter-jet black tom with one gray paw and bright, golden eyes

Warrior 5-Darkfall-black tom with golden eyes

Warrior 6-Horizonflash-ginger-brown she-cat with amber eyes

Warrior 7-Fallenember-ginger and black she-cat with amber eyes

Warrior 8-Forestheart-dark brown she-cat with black stripes and dark green eyes

Warrior 9-Leafwing-light brown she-cat with faint, black tabby stripes and white splotches; light green eyes

Warrior 10-Shadowblaze-slim black she-cat with amber eyes

Warrior 11-Blackleg-white tom with one black hind leg and amber eyes

Warrior 12-Deltrasong-pretty tortishell she-cat with beautiful forest green eyes

Warrior 13-Stonetooth-dark gray tom with amber eyes

Warrior 14-Wolfclaw-gray she-cat with white chest, paws, mussle, and tail tip

Warrior 15-Foxtail-reddish colored she-cat with the markings of a fox and green eyes

Warrior 16-Deertail-sandy colored she-cat with a gray chest and mussle; green eyes

Warrior 17-Mousewhisker-brown tom with a lighter colored underbelly and blue eyes

Warrior 18-Jaguarclaw-golden tom with the markings of a jaguar and brown eyes

Warrior 19-Coyoteclaw-light brown tom with greenish blue eyes

Warrior 20-Frogleg-pale brown she-cat with darker back legs and green eyes

Warrior 21-Owlheart-ginger-brown tabby tom with green eyes

**Apprenitces:**

Apprentice 1-Rosepaw-beautiful, long haired black she-cat with bright green eyes;mentor is Foreststar

Apprentice 2-Gorgepaw-light gray tom with icy blue eyes; mentor is Ravenwing

Apprentice 3-Sparrowpaw-light brown tabby she-cat with brown eyes; mentor is Darkfall

Apprentice 4-Scarpaw-black tom wtih a brown underbelly and green eyes; long scar down his chest; mentor is Leafwing

Apprentice 5-Tanglepaw-brown she-cat with one white paw and tail tip, one black paw, and forest green eyes;mentor is Blackleg

Apprentice 6-Mistpaw-dark gray she-cat with blue eyes;mentor is Foxtail

Apprentice 7-Flamepaw-reddish colored tom with hazel eyes;mentor is Nightblaze

Apprentice 8-Silverpaw-silver she-cat with pale amber eyes;mentor is Fallenember

Apprentice 9-Streampaw-silver she-cat with blue eyes;mentor is Wolfclaw

Apprentice 10-Bearpaw-dark brown tom with golden brown eyes;mentor is Coyoteclaw

**Queens:**

Queen 1-Birchfrost-Pale brown and white tabby she-cat with white paws and dark blue eyes; mother of Nightblaze's kit, Burntkit and Ebonykit

Queen 2-Roseheart-dark, reddish colored tabby she-cat with green eyes; mother of Ravenwing's kits, Redit, Dark-kit, and Drizzlekit

Queen 3-Nica-pretty brown she-cat; former kittypet

Queen 4-Blossomcloud-long furred, reddish cream she-cat with blue eyes

Queen 5-Moonflower-silvery gray she-cat with blue eyes; excpecting owlheart's kits

**Kits:**

Kit 1-Burntkit-ginger tom with dark blue eyes

Kit 2-Ebonykit-black she-cat with white paws, a ginger ring of fur around the tip of her tail, and green eyes

Kit 3-Redkit-reddish colored she-cat with light, faint gray stripes

Kit 4-Dark-kit-very dark reddished colored, almost black, tom

Kit 5-Drizzlekit-light gray tom with big, blue eyes

Kit 6-Cougarkit-light brown she-cat with greenish blue eyes

Kit 7-Pantherkit-gray she-cat with white chest, paws, mussle, and tail tip

Kit 8-Harekit-light brown tom with white chest, paws, mussle, and tail tip

Kit 9-Black-kit-white she-cat with a black stripe down her back and green eyes

Kit 10-Acidkit-very dark, almost black, tom with green eyes

**Elders:**

Elder 1-Frostblossom-white she-cat with blue eyes

**Sunclan-**

**Leader:**

Ivystar-black she-cat with dark green eyes

**Deputy:**

Swiftflight-black she-cat with white ears and light blue eyes; mother of Freezefur's kits, Icekit and Nightkit

**Medicine Cat:**

Echofire-pale gray tabby she-cat with bright amber, almost orange eyes

**Warriors:**

Warrior 1-Grayflight-gray tom with blue eyes

WArrior 2-Cloverfoot-black and white she-cat

Warrior 3-Freezefur-pure white tom with green eyes

Warrior 4-Pinenose-light brown tabby tom with blue eyes

Warrior 5-Crowfur-black tom with blue eyes

Warrior 6-Ashstep-dark gray she-cat with amber eyes and and heavy fur

Warrior 7-Sunnytail-white and brown she-cat with green eyes

Warrior 8-Lighteningheart-golden brown tom with green eyes

Warrior 9-Leafwing-pretty tortishell and white she-cat with blue eyes

Warrior 10-Lionstripe-dark, cream colored tom with ginger tabby stripes and violet eyes

Warrior 11-Foxpelt-red tom with white ears, paws, tail tip, and underbelly; amber eyes

Warrior 12-Shadowstorm-black she-cat with purple ears, paws, and tail tip; violet eyes

Warrior 13-Ashpelt-dark gray tom with amber eyes

Warrior 14-Nightfall-black tom with green eyes

Warrior 15-Sorrelfeather-tortishell and white she-cat with amber eyes

Warrior 16-Breezepelt-gray tom with orange-amber eyes

Warrior 17-Emberpelt-dark gray she-cat with amber eyes

Warrior 18-Shrew-whisker-light brown tabby tom with golden spots and amber eyes

Warrior 19-Duskstorm-pale ginger she-cat with white paws and bright green eyes

**Apprentices:**

Apprentice 1-Sootpaw-dark gray tabby tom with amber eyes; mentor is Ivystar

Apprentice 2-Flarepaw-tortishell and white she-cat with green eyes;mentor is Pinenose

Apprentice 3-Rainpaw-silver tabby she-cat with amber eyes;mentor is Cloverfoot

Apprentice 4-Blazepaw-white she-cat with golden patches and blue eyes;mentor is Ashstep

Apprentice 5-Skypaw-gray-brown tom with a cream colored chest, underbelly and paws and orange-amber eyes; mentor is Leafwing

Apprentice 6-Moonpaw-light gray she-cat with darker flecks and blue eyes;mentor is Shadowstorm

Apprentice 7-Smokepaw-gray tom with amber eyes;mentor is Nightfall

Apprentice 8-Meadowpaw-pale ginger she-cat with amber eyes;mentor is Sorrelfeather

Apprentice 9-Gingerpaw-ginger tom with green eyes;mentor is Emberpelt

Apprentice 10-Reedpaw-dark golden tabby tom with blue eyes;mentor is Swiftflight

**Queens:**

Queen 1-Redshadow-black she-cat with red eyes; mother of Lionstripes kits, Dovekit and Sparrowkit

Queen 2-Meadowpool-gray and white dappled she cat with blue eyes

Queen 3-Iceblossom-white she-cat with silver streaks and icy blue eyes; expecting Shrew-whisker's kits

Queen 4-Feather-pale gray she-cat with green eyes; expecting Wind's kits

**Kits:**

Kit 1-Icekit-pure white tom with a black tail tip

Kit 2-Nightkit-black she-cat with white ears and paws and blue eyes; blind

Kit 3-Dovekit-gray she-cat with green eyes

Kit 4-Sparrowkit-brown tom with violet eyes

Kit 5-Rainkit-blue gray she cat with darker flecks and blue eyes

Kit 6-Lemonkit-yellowish colored she-cat with a long tail

Kit 7-Limekit-green colored tom with a long tail

Kit 8-Eaglekit-black tom with dark brown spots and green eyes

Kit 9-Spiderkit-black tom with green eyes

**Elders:**

Elder 1-Blackfur-jet black tom with red eye

Elder 2-Hazelcloud-light brown taby she-cat with green eyes

Elder 3-Dustnose-dark brown tabby tom with blue eyes

**Outside the Clan:**

Leaf-brown she-cat with green eyes

Wind-white tom with amber eyes

Carly-pretty, pale tabby she-cat with green eyes

River- dark gray tom with blue eyes

Blackheart-pretty, jet black she-cat with briliant green eyes


	2. Prologue

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Whoo! It's my longest chapter (I think) that I've ever done! This is the create a cat story for all of you who didn't know. Well, shall we begin?

Lightning flashed in the distant, followed by a loud roar of thunder. Rain hit the ground viciously, mud flying in every direction as it collided with the ground. Through the violent storm, a black she-cat, her fur soaked, raced through the forest. Three small bundles of fur swayed limply underneath her her mouth, not making a sound.

The she-cat knew it was dangerous to be out in a storm like this, especially with kits to take care of, but she continued on. This forest was not the place she was headed for.

A bright bolt of lightning struck the ground only fox lengths away. Frightened, the black she-cat jumped, one of her kits flying out of her grasp and soaring through the air. In moments, the kit had fallen, it's body laying motionless on the muddy ground.

She set down the other two kits and splashed over to it. She nudged it gently, hoping it would make some movement, some indication it was still alive. But it lay still, it's head tilted at an awkward angle.

She wanted to yowl in agony and mourn for her lost kit, but the other two bundles of fur were beginning to cry out to her. She ran over to her surviving kits, carefully pick them up by their scruffs, and continued to run.

Her paws were begging her to stop, but she pressed on. If she stopped now, the knowledge that her kits were dieing would gnaw at her. No. She'd keep going until she was there.

The trees and undergrowth began to thin out to an open plain. The rain had died down and the thunder now a barely audible rumble.

The mud clung to her legs was beginning to dry and turning into an uncomfortable crust. The mud that covered her dieing kits flowed into her mouth. However much she wanted to drop the two to the ground and spit out the disgusting substance, she couldn't, knowing that her only bloodline's lives were at stake.

The scent that surrounded the traveling mother stopped abruptly and was replaced by another smell. The she-cat fell to the ground with relief and exhaustion. Her kits fell from her mouth and slid through the mud, squealing. She didn't care, though. Not now. She found it hard to keep her eyes open and soon, she was falling into the darkness of sleep.

* * *

Redpaw followed the border patrol as they made their way to their border with Moonclan. Every once in a while, he'd cast a suspicious glance in the surrounding area. Moonclan weren't ones to pick fights, but tensions were running high between the enemy clans. He knew that the border patrol would have to be careful.

Brookstorm, the cat leading the patrol, stopped abruptly in her tracks.

"What's wrong?" a brown tom, Mirefoot, asked.

"I smell something..." Without waiting for the rest of the border patrol, she raced forward. Redpaw bolted after Mirefoot as his mentor followed the blue gray warrior.

When they caught up with her, they found her nose to nose with another warrior-a _Moonclan_ warrior.

"What are you doing so close to the border, flea bag?" the tom growled.

"I could ask you the same thing," she said with equal coldness.

Suddenly, a loud mewl interrupted the cat's fighting. Redpaw narrowed his eyes, trying to see when had made the sound. Two black kits, only visible by one of the kits noticable white underbelly, were curled up together, crying and staring in horror at the two warriors.

"Look what you did, mousebrain!" Brookstorm spat. "You scared your clans kits! What are they even doing out here, anyways?"

"My clans? These kits belong to Dawnclan! Moonclan would never endanger their young!"

"Why you little-" Brookstorm began, but Mirefoot swung his tail across her mussel.

"Your right-they are our kits. They must have snuck out of camp. We'll take them home right away."

The Moonclan warrior narrowed his eyes and sniffed the kits. "They don't smell like Dawnclan!"

"Well they don't smell like Moonclan, that's for sure!" Redpaw spat. "If they did, I would be able to smell their nasty scent hundreds of fox lengths away!"

The warrior growled, but made no attempt to leap over the border and attack the small, tabby apprentice.

"We will take the kits," Brookstorm declared, picking up the pure black kit by his scruff. The toms claws unsheathed.

"Put that kit down."

Her voice muffled by the kits fur, she mewed, "Why?"

"I will take the kits!"

"What?" Redpaw spat, the fur along his neck bristling.

"Everyone knows that Dawnclan has more cats than Moonclan. We need more warriors than you foxhearts!" Brookstorm didn't set the kit down.

"They'd wind up dead in a few sunrises in your care! We're taking them home! We can further discuss this later."

"What, to scared to fight me for them?" the cat mocked. Redpaw felt his claws dig into the earth. How dare he say Brookstorm was afraid! She was one of the bravest cats he knew!

"Look at them! Their half frozen! If we continue arguing, we'll have two kits covered in ice on our border!" She set the kit down and set it's sibling beside it. Curling her tail protectively around the two, she whispered, "It's alright. We'll have you in a nice warm den soon. Mirefoot, take this one," she order, handing him one of the two. "We're leaving."

Redpaw shot the Moonclan warrior a final glance before following the two towards camp.

"Are you sure Mudstar will be okay with us taking kits that were on the border?" Mirefoot asked her.

"I doubt it. But Mudstar is old and on his last life, if what I heard was correct. What was his deputy's name? Swiftleg or something?"

"I hope she makes a better leader then Mudstar. Under his rule, his clans been more hostile then ever," the brown tom snorted.

"Most likely. Anyone can rule better then he can!" The two laughed and continued talking. Redpaw found his graze drifting back to the border. When he'd seen Mudstar at gatherings, it seemed all the brown tabby leader wanted to do was pick fights with the other leaders. Some cats say that a few times he would attack a cat from another clan and cause a huge fight.

Before Mudstars rule, Moonclan was one of the more 'stay away froms fights' kind of clan, but now...

The reddish tabby ran into Mirefoot who had stopped.

"Watch were your going, mousebrain!"

"Sorry." He looked around, but Brookstorm was no where in sight. "Um..."

"Brookstorm went to tell Dappledstar about the kits. She told me to us to wait here."

"Aw!" Redpaw whined. "I wanted to hear what Dappledstar had to say!"

"Quiet! Dappledstar's already in a bad mood because of Blackfang's death! She doesn't need an apprentice waisting her time!"

"She said she was going to make me a warrior tonight!"

"Then start acting like one!"

Redpaw's tail twitched irritably, but he said nothing in his defense.

After what seemed like moons, Brookstorm padded towards them, her face emotionless.

"What did Dappledstar say?" Mirefoot demanded.

"You'll know soon enough."

Only heartbeats later, Dawnclan's dappled leader was on top of the Highrock, calling the cats of her clan out for a clan meeting.

Redpaw sat down between Grasstail and Smokeymoon who had already been seated below the Highrock. Slowly, cats creeped out of their dens and gathered bellow their leader.

"Today," Dappledstar started, her voice ringing clearly across the clearing, "one of our border patrols spotted two kits on the Moonclan border. For now, they will be taken care of by the queens. But, I fear Mudstar will want these kits as well."

"Then why don't we give them to Moonclan?" called a cat from the crowd. All eyes turned to Mistybreeze, a silver tabby she-cat.

"Why would we do that?" Dappledstar mewed, eyeing the warrior carefully.

"We have enough warriors and apprentices. Mudstar will want these kits, I can tell. He'll want them badly. An unneeded fight could brake out between our clans."

"If that's so," a black tom, Shadowstreak, growled. "so be it. I know I want to claw those worthless cats' faces off!"

A few mummers of agreement rippled through the crowd.

"We will do no such thing," Dappledstar hissed. "I'm sure he'll bring this matter up at the gathering if their border patrol saw the kits, so we'll discuss this then. Now, it is time to appoint the new deputy! I say these words before the body of Blackfang, so that his spirit may hear and approve my choice. Brookstorm, you will be the new deputy of Dawnclan."

Brookstorm gasped and looked around before blurting, "Thank you, Dappledstar!"

"And, finally, we have an apprentice who is ready to be made a warrior. Fawnshine, are you satisfied that Redpaw is ready to become a warrior?"

"Yes, he is ready," Fawnshine called from the crowd.

"Then, I Dappledstar, leader of Dawnclan call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. Redpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend this clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do!" Redpaw cried happily.

"Then by the powers of Starclan I give you your warrior name. Redpaw, from now on, you will be known as Redwind. Dawnclan welcomes you as a full warrior."

"Redwind, Redwind!" The clan cheered. Redwind felt himself turn red with embaressment as his clan called out his new name.

"You shall sit vigil tonight," Dappledstar reminded him and leaped off the Highrock.

Redwind watched her re-enter her den. Despite the fact that he was now a warrior, he wasn't very excited.

He turned his gaze towards the nursery. He knew that these kits would cause trouble for his clan, so he wondered why Dappledstar insisted on keeping them.

* * *

Two sunrises had past since Brookstorm found the two kits. Redwind pawed at the ground. Mudstar had demanded that Moonclan had the kits. He warned that he would go to war if Dawnclan didn't hand them over. Foreststar, the leader of Duskclan, had suggested one clan having one of the kits and the other clan having the other. Mudstar had seemed angry with the idea, but went went with it. Now, he, Dewfrost, and Breakingthunder were waiting for a Moonclan patrol to come and pick up one of the kits.

Two cats, a dark brown tabby and a golden tabby, came racing through the grass on their side of the border.

Dewfrost dipped her head in greeting. "Good morning, Bramblestripe, Goldensong."

"Good morning," Goldensong said, warmth in her voice. The Moonclan tom was certainly not like the tom they'd encountered before. "So, um..."

"Here is the kit," Breakingthunder mewed briskly, pushing the pure black tom towards the Moonclan cats.

"Thank you. We will be on our way," said Bramblestripe, picking up the kit and turning around to run back to their camp.

"Uh, 'bye." Goldensong raced after her companion.

Dewfrost didn't move, even after the two had left.

"I don't like the idea of having litter mates in different clans," Redwind spoke up. "I think that they'll be more loyal to the each other then to their clan."

"I agree," Dewfrost meowed.

Breakingthunder had already started walking home when he said, "Let's hope that they never find out they are brothers."

Without another word, Dewfrost followed him, Redwind on her tail. Something didn't seem right

Suddenly, a voice whispered softly in his ears, _"Darkness and shade shall come together... and the clans will fall..."_

**There you go! Did you like it? I hope you all enjoyed, and don't forget to R&R!**


	3. Chapter 1

**I go from one of my longest chapters to one of my shortest... This isn't my best chapter, I warn you, but still, I expect you all to review! Enjoy!**

"Swiftstar stood nose to nose with Blackstar, ready to leap out at the evil leader. When suddenly... Cloudfang leaped from the bushes and landed on Swiftstar's shoulders! She tried to shake him off, but he was to strong! He clung to her as she struggled underneath his weight. Taking the opportunity, Blackstar slashed at Swiftstar in rage. Blackstar was not going to let her ruin her leadership!"

Darkpaw listened to Tigerfoot continue his story as he changed the elders moss. It was a common story-an ambitious cat named Blackheart took over her clan and tried to rule the entire forest. But when she challenged Swiftstar, leader of Moonclan, she lost and was exiled from the clans.

Some of his fellow clanmates think that she still roams the clans as a rouge, but no cat is sure since they haven't seen her since her banishment.

"Thank you," said Snowfoot as he was about to leave the elders den, the old moss in his mouth.

He set the old bedding down and said, "Your welcome," before picking it back up and padding through the camp.

Once he was done throwing out the old bedding, he sat down beside the fresh-kill pile and pick out a fish from the top. He was never a big fan of their salty taste, but, more often then not, it was the only type of prey on the pile.

The black apprentice spotted Flashpaw, Cloudpaw, and Moonpaw sitting together on the other side of the clearing, talking and eating their prey. Walking over to them, he asked, "Can I sit here with you?"

Flashpaw and Cloudpaw shot each other an uncertain glance, but Moonpaw moved over to make room for him. "I don't mind," said the pretty silver apprentice.

"Uh, thanks." He sat down between her and Cloudpaw and started biting into his fish.

"I heard Gorsepelt and Owlsong spotted a fox on our territory," Flashpaw meowed to Cloudpaw. "They never said if they chased it away or not."

Cloudpaw snorted. "They probably didn't. If they did, they would've told Swiftstar."

"Oh great, just what we need," Flashpaw moaned. "Now there's a fox loose on our territory."

"Maybe it's den was across one of the borders," Darkpaw said, butting into their conversation.

"I suppose," Flashpaw said thoughtfully. "But a fox wouldn't understand the borders and could cross into our territory whenever it wanted. There's still a threat."

Moonpaw added, "But, even if we do chase it away, it could still come back."

"It depends on how hard our cats fight," said Cloudpaw. "If we show it how powerful we really are, it'll know not to cross paths with us ever again!"

Darkpaw pushed the remains of his fish away, to full to eat any more.

"I'm going to see if I can go hunting," he decided. "Want to come?"

Moonpaw shook her head. "I think I'm going to go back to sleep. I was on the dawn patrol today." She wisked past Darkpaw, her tail lightly brushing his fur as she passed.

"I'm still hungry," Flashpaw mewed.

"Cloudpaw?"

The white tom hesitated. Sighing, he said, "I guess it wouldn't hurt to go hunting. I'll race you to the Duskclan border!" he called suddenly, racing out of the camp. Flashpaw sniffed his half eaten prey.

"Hey, can I have the rest of your fish?" she asked, but the blue eyed apprentice was already running through the grass out of the camp. "I'll take that as a yes," she murmured, taking a bite out of the fish.

Darkpaw ran after him, his paws hitting hard against the ground. "Slow down," he cried to Cloudpaw who was already many fox lengths ahead of him. "You go to fast!"

"Your going to have to try harder if you want to bet me!" he replied, not slowing his pace.

A few trees came into sight and Darkpaw realized he had never been in this area before. He had only become an apprentice a quarter moon ago, and his mentor, Scarshadow, had refused to take him to the Duskclan border.

The jet black apprentice slowed his pace when even more trees came into sight, worried he'd run into one of them. "Hey, Cloudpaw! I think you should slow down!" He called to his companion.

"There's no way I'm slowing down just so that you can get ahead of me!" Cloudpaw answered and disappeared into the forest in front of him.

"No! That's not it! You could get hurt!" But there was no reply. Darkpaw slowed and came to a stop, sighing. Suddenly, the scent of a mouse caught his nose. Mice didn't live in Moonclan's hunting territory. The only reason why he recognized the scent was from gatherings.

He located the mouse, scuttling around in one of the outer trees of the forest.

"It's just on the outskirts," he murmured. "I don't see anything wrong with catching it."

Slowly, he creeped up on it, and when it was only tail lengths away, he leaped. At the last moment, the brown animal noticed him and dashed away. Spitting with anger, Darkpaw chased after it, claws unsheathed.

After what seemed like moons of chasing the mouse, Darkpaw collapsed to the ground, to tired to go on. Looking around, he realized he had no idea where he was. Curling up on the unfamiliar ground, he whispered, "Please let me go home, please let me go home, please let me go home..."

Tears had begun to form in his eyes, and in moments, sleep took over.

Darkpaw awoke to a bloodcurdling scream. Leaping to his paws, he looked around frantically. The scream had come from somewhere deeper in the forest.

He looked at the sky. It was dusk. If he went looking for whoever had screamed, it would be to dark to navigate back home, and there was still the possibility that he wouldn't find whoever it was anyways. But he didn't know the way back anyways.

His mind raced frantically. "What should I do...?" He sat thinking. Then, summoning all of his courage, he plunged deeper into the forest.

Darkpaw searched until the sun had set beyond the horizon and the moon began to rise.

"I guess I should find somewhere to sleep..." he muttered unhappily. He pushed his way through the undergrowth and through a thorn bush. The thorns tore at his pelt, but he ingnorned the pain.

Soon, the small apprentice was to tired to go on. He feel to the forest floor and curled up again.

Then, he felt his leg brush against fur.

He screamed, leaping away. In the shadows of some bushes, a white cat was sprawled out, motionless.

Darkpaw cautiously sniffed at the cat and gasped with alarm.

"Cloudpaw?"

**Dun dun... DUN! Poor Cloudpaw! And I know, I kind of ended this on a cliffy, I'm sorry. It's just, I love cliffhangers a lot, so I always seem to incorporate them into my stories. Well, enjoy, and don't forget to R&R!**


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